Kindly support my work by buying my books: 'Esoteric Illuminations: Deep Esoteric&Occult Knowledge For Seekers Of Truth,' 'Living in Tune with the Divine Force of Nature' and 'The Magic of Semen Retention'
Last Updated on May 10, 2025 by The Unbounded Thinker
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving – Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching.
This quote from the Tao Te Ching is an amazing gem for the journey of life. It compares us to a traveler. A traveler who knows where he is going, who has a general sense of direction, purpose, or destination in mind, but he does not excessively focus on his arrival. He is also not obsessed with arriving in a specific way or by a certain time.
As a result, this traveler can take time to admire the beauty along the way. He can feel his soul connect to the rivers and mountains he sees along the way. Because he is not intent upon arriving, he can pause to watch the beautiful flowers and birds he has never seen before. He can climb mountains to see the breathtaking views around the path he is on. He can stand in a beautiful meadow, that he stumbles upon while traveling, and watch the tall grass sway in the wind, and butterflies fly from one flower to another.
Because he is not in a hurry to reach his destination, he can rest, as long as he wants to, without the fear of arriving late. He can slow down whenever he feels tired. He knows that the journey is not a race, and he understands that moving slowly is sometimes the wisest way to move forward.
He can also visit the amazing places he sees on his way. He might stumble upon a beautiful and peaceful village where people live in peace, harmony, and in tune with nature. Rather than passing through quickly, he can decide to stop and spend time there, observe their way of life, and learn their secrets to a simple and fulfilling life. He can watch how they work, how they care for each other, and how they find joy in the little things.
This traveler has no fixed plans, and for this reason, he can take a different route if he intuitively senses that something is wrong with his current path. He can trust his inner feeling and turn away without fear, even if he doesn’t fully understand why.
Sometimes he might choose a new path simply because it looks more peaceful, or because he hears the sound of flowing water in the distance and feels drawn to it. He might even take a detour to avoid a crowded or noisy road and instead walk through quiet paths.
If it becomes completely impossible to complete the journey, the traveler willingly returns home because he is not obsessed with reaching the destination. He does not see turning back as failure, but as wisdom. He accepts his fate with peace, knowing that not every path must be completed at all costs. He does not force himself forward blindly, aware of the dangers that come with stubbornness.
He is like a seafarer who, after facing a violent storm, decides to cancel his voyage and return to shore. He knows that pushing forward might destroy his ship and even result in death. So he returns, not with regret, but with understanding, knowing that survival, awareness, and peace are more valuable than stubborn ambition.
He is not blinded by his destination as he allows the natural unfolding of life to guide his steps. With humility and inner peace, he turns back, honoring the wisdom of retreat rather than the pride of pursuit. He understands that not all paths are meant to be completed, and that true strength often lies in knowing when to turn around. He knows that there is no shame in retreating when the road ahead brings more harm than good.
Just like a traveler, we journey through life with a purpose, dreams, goals, and ambitions. We have destinations in mind, such as visions of success or fulfilling what we believe is our divine purpose. But if we become too focused on the end, we risk missing the beauty of the path.
A good traveler, as Lao Tzu reminds us, holds his dreams lightly. He moves forward with intention, but not obsession. He knows that the value of a dream lies not just in achieving it, but in how one lives while moving toward it.
When we are not rigid in our plans and excessively attached to living our dream life, we become open to the gifts of the journey. And as a result, we learn powerful life lessons along the way, and we enter a state of harmony and oneness with the path.
Sometimes, the path to our dreams or ambitions takes longer than expected, and we might experience delays and setbacks. This might cause mental exhaustion. But like the wise traveler who is not in a hurry, we can slow down without guilt. We can rest when weary and continue only when our energy returns, understanding that dreams pursued with balance are more likely to nourish us rather than drain us.
There are also moments when we sense that the current path is no longer right. A plan that once made sense may now feel forced or impossible to implement. In such moments, the wise traveler within us listens. He adjusts his route, trusting his inner compass. He knows that a detour is not a defeat but an act of alignment with the natural flow of life.
And if a dream becomes completely unreachable, we gather the courage to let it go, knowing that letting go does not mean that we have failed. It means we have grown wiser, recognizing that not every dream is meant to be fulfilled in the way we once imagined. It means we have honored our inner peace above blind pursuit.
This is the Taoist way. To walk with purpose, but without attachment. To dream, but not to be consumed by the dream. To be flexible with our plans. To know when to let go and, most importantly, to walk through life without an excessive attachment to an end goal. And in this approach, we realize that the journey of life becomes the goal.
